Jul 1 2009
US passport legislation history since 2004 has been interesting, and Department of Homeland Security and Department of State efforts to enforce new passport rules have resulted in many changes, cancellations of deadlines, and even legislation as Congress stepped in to fix things. A timeline of the passport rule change and legislation history:
- 2004 -- First deadline for the requirement of passports being carried by all travelers, no matter the travel method, is set.
- December, 2005 -- The Student Youth Travel Association issues a press release stating: "...An ID card sounds like a good alternative, but even if the cost is modestly high, or the process of getting one is complicated and time-consuming, young travelers will still face the same obstacles they would getting passports. We suggest making the IDs free to young travelers, or offer it to them at a minimal cost that takes into account the family’s financial status."
- December, 2005 - First deadline of December 31, 2005, for the requirement of passports being carried by all travelers, no matter the travel method, is changed to 2006.
- January, 2006 -- PASS card passport Substitute announced (read Cheaper PASS to Replace Passports at Mexico, Canada Crossings)
- January, 2006 -- New passport change timeline announced (read "Do I Need a Passport for Travel to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean?")
- April, 2006 -- US and Canadian tourism officials officially discuss fears that passport changes will harm cross-border tourism and wreak economic havoc (read "Passports: US to Canada, Mexico Travel in the News Again")
- May, 2006 -- US Senate votes May 16 that the December 31 deadline requiring US citizens to show passports at Mexico and Canada borders be extended by at least 17 months to June, 2009 (read "Mexico and Canada Passport, Travel Rule Deadline Extended?")
- June, 2006 -- The Canadian Globe and Mail reports that, because Homeland Security has not yet published details of the latest 2006/7 and 2007/8 rules which will then have to go through a public comment period before they can be imposed, changes won't happen on time according to insider Canadian and US officials (read "Canada, Mexico passport travel deadline delay?")
- June, 2006 -- September officially named National Passport Month; US reps and Lonely Planet get together to raise passport awareness; administration agrees but does nothing (read "September officially 'National Passport Month'"
- September, 2006 -- Land and sea travel passport deadline moved to January 8, 2007 (read "Passport Deadline Extended Again")
- September, 2006 -- US legislators approve a report pushing back land and sea passport deadlines to June, 2009; air deadline still set at January 8, 2007 (read "Passport Land Travel Deadline Extended")
- September, 2006 -- After taking measures May 16 to delay passport requirements at US/Canadian and Mexican land borders until June 1, 2009, Congress finalized the agreement in view of the fact that a proposed border id card and the technology to read it will not be ready by a January 8, 2007, deadline (read "Vote May Move Passport Rule Deadline to 2009")
- October, 2006 -- The advent of the new passport "substitute," the PASS card, is formally announced at last (read "PASS Passport Card Development Open for Comment")
- November, 2006 -- Air travel passport deadline moved to January 23, 2007 (read "Passports Deadline for Mexico, Canada Travel Moved Again")
- February, 2007 -- Passport changes or, more accurately, lack of changes, are proposed for minors (read "Mexico, Canada Passport Change Proposed for Minors")
- March, 2007 -- In a completely expected development, the US Department of State is saying passport applications numbers are "unprecedented" right now, and that wait times on passports has increased to up to ten weeks (normal waits are six-eight weeks) and four weeks on an regular expedited passport application, though you will get one quicker if you're leaving the country within two weeks. They also say they're "taking extraordinary action" to keep up -- according to a recent press release, they've hired 250 new adjudicators to help handle the more than one million new passport applications they receive monthly (17 million applications expected in 2007, up from 12 million in 2006).
"We recognize that Americans have unprecedented travel document needs," the release reads; yes, that would be because the US gov's Department of Homeland Security decided... (finish reading "Passports Slow, Guv Says")
- May, 2007 -- "Passports: House Says 'Delay,' DHS Says 'No Way'": The US House recently passed a measure meant to push back the date on which passports will be required for land crossings of Canadian or Mexican borders into the US until 2009 or beyond, but Department of Homeland Security officials have responded that they will be ready for new passport requirements by January 2008. But will the Department of State? They certainly weren't ready for the very predictable onslaught of applications prior this year (read more...)
- June, 2007 -- Passport rules have been modified because the passport restrictions which began January 23 have resulted in such a massive backlog of passport applications. Until September 30, you may travel under old passport rules if your passport is pending -- that means you've applied for a passport and are waiting for the passport to arrive (read more...)
- How to show proof that your passport is pending -- know that it may take a week or more just to check your passport status online as of June 8
- June, 2007 -- "Expedited Passport Fee Refunds Available" (read more...)
- December, 2007 -- U.S. Congress passes legislation delaying the requirement for passports at the Canadian/Mexico border until at least June 2009.
